There is known a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) as a means of measuring the optical property and physical property information of the surface of a sample with high resolution. This microscope is to measure the optical properties such as the reflectance distribution and the refractive index distribution of the surface of a sample with resolution of several tens nm as large as a minute opening of several tens nm and exceeding the diffraction limitation of light by making scanning by near-field light leaking from the minute opening while maintaining a gap between the opening and a sample to be several tens nm likewise (opening probe), as disclosed in a non-patent literature 1. As a similar method, a non-patent literature 2 discloses a method in which a metal probe is irradiated with light externally and scanning is made by near-field light as large as several tens nm and scattered on a minute pointed end of the probe (scattering probe).
Further, a patent literature 1 discloses a method in which a minute spherical lens is formed at a pointed end of a fiber to form a minute spotlight as another aspect of the scattering probe.
Moreover, a patent literature 2 discloses a method in which a carbon nanotube is filled with metal carbide such as V, Y, Ta, Sb or the like or fluorescent substance such as ZnS or CaS which generates photo-luminescence or electro-luminescence and a minute spotlight is obtained as another aspect of the scattering probe similarly.